Guest country Portugal. A growing market
At the previous edition of Iberzoo Propet, 40.6% of international visitors came from Portugal. In recognition of the increasing presence of companies and visitors from Portugal at Iberzoo Propet, the organising committee of the event has unanimously decided to designate Portugal as the Guest Country, highlighting the growing significance that the Portuguese market has in this fair and in the Spanish market itself.
Most major international pet care companies look upon Spain and Portugal as a single business unit, which is often mentioned by executives' business cards , where the company name is accompanied by the designation of Iberia.
According to the Portuguese System of Information on Pets (SIAC), the country has 4.19 million registered pets to date, including over 3 million dogs.
Furthermore, the TGM 2023 report revealed that 72% of Portuguese households have at least one pet, significantly exceeding the global average of 58%. Dogs come top of the ranking, accounting for 61% of the total. They are followed by cats with 54%, birds (10%), fish (5%), and other animals (5%).
The Portuguese pet food market has grown by 6.5% in value within the retail channel. This percentage is similar to that of the Spanish market. The bond between owners and their pets is also increasing about 50% state that both their dog and cat are considered members of the family.
Among owners, spending on pets accounts for around 7% of the total household budget, with feeding being the primary expense: 56% for dogs and 60% for cats, compared to 38% for health and wellness care for dogs and 36% for cats.
According to a recent study, Portuguese pet owners spent approximately €612.2 million on caring for their pets in 2023, an increase of €1.8 million. The majority of spending is allocated to feeding (76%), followed by pet care and other supplies (23.5%).
The local pet care market grew by 2.2% between 2022 and 2023 and is primarily concentrated on dogs and cats, which account for over 80% of sales.
Supermarkets remain, by far, the most important channel by sales volume (65.6%), followed by specialised pet stores (21%) and online commerce (17.2%).
According to the Portuguese Association of Pet Product Retailers, there are approximately 3,000 establishments selling pet products. Most of these are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and family-owned businesses. Together, they generate annual revenue of €250 million and employ around 10,000 people.
In terms of available services, veterinary services are the most popular (79%), followed by grooming services (5%) and pet training and behaviour services (2%).
As you can see, our Portuguese neighbours have a lively and emerging market that shows growth proportions similar to the European average, and with their presence at Iberzoo Propet, they contribute and simultaneously seek products, services, and information that add market value to their offerings.